YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Diabetes is the third most widespread disease in Armenia after cardio-vascular and oncologic diseases. There are about 36,000 people suffering from diabetes in Armenia today–according to official data. The actual number of diabetics–though–is believed to be about 100,000.
The "Endocrinological Aid" medical association staged a roundtable discussion on June 11 to discuss the matter.
The association’s President Gevorg Ghazarian said that about 25,000 new cases of the disease were reported over the last nine years. He mentioned that many of those suffering from diabetes are not in a position to buy medicine–dietary food–means of diagnostics; many seek professional aid only when the illness is severe–as a result of which the death-rate among diabetics grew from 11.72% up to 28.03% in recent years. The association studied the problem and revealed that the diabetes mortality rate is especially high in Yerevan.
It was also said that many of the patients are unaware of the up-to-date methods of treating diabetes. To bridge the gap–the Association recently set up a training center for diabetes patients. The center now has 200 patients whose number is expected to reach 1,000 in the near future. Some of the patients are provided with glucose meters.
The major objective of the meeting was to hold discussions and find areas for cooperation among specialists in the sphere of public health from state-run–public and foreign organizations dealing with diabetes problems. Also–a national diabetes program is expected to be developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Health in the future.